InterACT

Research to compare and contrast the accuracy of crime types against harm groups to reflect a ‘high harm’ approach to crime reduction in predictive mapping

Multimedia youth justice

Creating engaging, credible and effective behavioural-change resources for youth justice teams.

Forensic use and application of MALDI

Testing the operational value of new mass spectrometry methods of resolving and visualising fingermarks.

Wearables for wellbeing

Trialling the value of data analytics for tracking the wellbeing of staff.

LoRaWan tracking

Will establish a novel, secure method of asset tracking (e.g., agricultural equipment) for frontline officers.

Missing murdered

Identifying triggers that might indicate harm when taking missing person reports.

Automated redaction of case files

Developing a tool that investigators can use to accelerate redaction of sensitive and personal information.

Trafficking mediated online

Developing a risk assessment tool to enable better triage of ASW profiles.

Knife recognition AI

Developing a mobile-based app for instant knife recognition and comparison.

Serious misconduct prediction

Taking learning from Australia to test a data-driven model for serious misconduct prediction.

Digital road safety technology

Assessing the range and efficacy of new technologies that focus on behavioural change in at risk drivers.

Decision-making in evidence led prosecutions in domestic abuse cases

Examining decision making in relation to ELPs for domestic abuse and their effect on victims’ experience.

Building public trust (victim journey)

Developing a digital contact platform that allows victims to receive on-demand updates.

Machine learning - domestic homicide prediction tool

Enhancing domestic violence risk assessment methods with knowledge of factors predictive of homicide.

Compassionate policing - RASSO & VAWG​ (Project Odyssey)

Building a focused digital acquisition capability to support front line officers.

DaQIOA

Building a data quality dashboard and methods to correct and enhance data for serious violence reduction.

Traumatic brain injury

Testing how synthesising multiple data points can support investigation and harm reduction

Mark retrieval from knives

Create a semi-automated method for examining a knifes surface that can be operated by non-specialist

Cyber tabletop exercise

Creating remote-working focused training tool to improve knowledge of cyber-attack risk

Wi-Fi and cellular enabled VSS (CCTV) data extraction and analysis

Research the data storage and transmission structure of Wi-Fi and Cellular VSS/CCTV cameras to support forensic labs in their extraction and analysis of these devices.

Telematics: using machine learning to drive behavioural change

Create a platform which will automatically ingest telematics data and use machine learning to classify driver behaviour and drive an education loop to reduce accidents and associated costs.

A study of rib fractures in early childhood to aid forensic investigations of suspected child abuse

Study of paediatric rib cages using micro-CT and histology to assess the occurrence of fractures in infants that have been resuscitated but not likely to have been subjected to abuse. Findings from these control cases will be compared to suspected abuse cases to characterise injury patterns resulting from different mechanisms.

Meeting the policing demand of a digital world using an evidence-based approach

Establish an evidence-base for digital demand in policing and test a Digital Investigation Tool (DIT) using a randomised control trial.

VAWG reduction in Essex through the expansion of the Minerva Tool

Evaluate Minerva to improve the way we identify and tackle VAWG incidents in public spaces.

Problem orientated policing local assessment resource (POPLAR)

Research, design and deliver a practical Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) Evaluation Tool for GMP Neighbourhood Policing (NP) teams, adopting a human-centred design approach to innovation.

Identifying and managing risk in non-convicted sex offence perpetrators

Develop, pilot, and evaluate a structured tool to a) guide police officers’ identification and risk assessment decision making of non-convicted serious sexual offence perpetrators, and b) better inform and encourage the use of different tactical disruption options available to tackle and reduce this type of offending.

“When all is tread and done” Identifying footwear uppers caught on camera as a new form of evidence

Develop a searchable database of footwear upper images under visible and infra-red light.

Project guardian

Targeted research in police pursuits to develop and evaluate alterative practices and adopt innovative new tactical options (utilising technology) to bring pursuits to a prompt and safe conclusion.

The prioritisation of potentially harmful subjects and the estimation of future risk

Evaluate outcomes of a predictive algorithm used to identify stalking and harassment (S&H) offenders who may pose high harm.

Kent and Essex ILAS trial

A 2-force trial of an intelligence automation application, focused on child exploitation and VAWG. The trial will be supported by academic validation.

NLP to detect threatening and abusive language toward victims.

Develop Natural Language Processing (NLP) models to reduce privacy intrusion when reviewing material extracted from a victim’s phone as part of an investigation.

CHISVal

Trial a new evidence-based template developed for objectively measuring the value of CHIS in context specific terms.

Targeting repeat sexual offending suspects using behavioural analysis

Explore, pilot, and review the use of BA and strategic, disruption-based policing options to effectively target and prevent repeat sexual offending. Several tools will be implemented in DCP to assess their utility in targeting repeat offending. A national, structured framework for the use of BA in policing will be developed

ANPR data quality

A discovery and proof of concept to develop quantitative measures of ANPR data quality and an associated dashboard. This would cover issues with ANPR cameras and an assessment of ANPR data feeds, as well as data quality impacts for operations and analytics. This builds on previous qualitative assessments.

Examining the use of evidence led prosecutions (ELPs) in domestic abuse cases

Explore the use of ELPs across four different police forces. To date, with the exception of the originally funded project, no research has examined how ELPs are working in practice, or the impact on victims.

101 voice assistant “Amy”

Build and pilot “Amy”, a 101 non-emergency call taking voice assistant to answer 101 call requests and deal with specific use-cases, reducing the service requests on Call Operators.

Community and commissioning data hub

Develop a multi-agency database and app that gives unified and locally-specific information on support services, programmes and diversionary activities to facilitate effective signposting and referrals, and enable better-informed future commissioning decisions.

Proof of concept to manage and share data relating to neurodivergent officers

Develop a proof of concept to collate and share information (only to authorised personnel) on workforce neurodiversity, to better support recruitment, promotion and operational delivery.

A GenAI Platform for Policing

Implementation of a Generative AI platform (including data connectivity and governance framework) to demonstrate how AI capabilities can be embedded effectively and securely into police forces, enabling innovation and scaling of AI across multiple and varied use cases. 

Understanding and Addressing Fraud and Cyber Victimisation Against Children and Young People: Towards a Tangible Action Plan

We propose a study to develop our understanding of children and young people’s (CYP) experiences of fraud/cybercrime. It will combine large-scale surveys with qualitative research to understand the prevalence, typology and impact of fraud on CYP. It will result in a clear action plan to tackle offending against CYP.

An evaluation of the new High Harm Unit in Dorset Police: Understanding the identification, assessment, and management of potentially harmful subjects.

This project will evaluate an innovative High Harm Unit in Dorset Police, established to improve identification, assessment, and management of perpetrators responsible for repeat domestic abuse or sexually harmful behaviour(s). The new intervention aims to enhance public protection by encouraging behaviour change or disruption over and above current investigative practice.

Evaluation and implementation of decision-support tool for identification and management of risk in non-convicted RASSO perpetrators 

This project will implement and evaluate the structured decision-support tool that we have developed to identify and manage risk in non-convicted RASSO perpetrators. The tool has been piloted and developed in HDPP and will now be formally implemented in force and evaluated against other risk management initiatives. 

Semi-Automated Identification of Sex-Trafficking Victims and Perpetrators

This project accelerates the identification and targeting of potential sex-trafficking activity. It will develop a new risk tool that will search large volumes of open-source data from Adult Service Websites using the Traffic Jam platform and auto-flag to officers the data of most concern for victim vulnerability and potential criminality.  

Evaluating approaches to violence against sex workers in Gwent; exploring the dynamics of trust and disclosure, investigative approaches, identification of risk and implications for safeguarding.

This project has been established to evaluate policing responses to incidents of sexual violence reported to the police by sex workers in Gwent. In bringing together partners from policing, Welsh Women’s Aid (Cyffanol) and academia, this work examines investigative approaches, community dynamics and processes of risk identification and management.

Sleep Fatigue & Recovery Biometrics Project

PWS in partnership with LJMU have developed the world’s first police specific, end to end biometric health & performance system which has the potential to positively impact the whole workforce. Comprising a highly accurate wearable device, a customised app & interactive educational platform the system has already been enhanced with user feedback.

Improving Representation and Inclusion in Serious Organised Crime Policing Roles

The NPCC SOC Portfolio is collaborating with the University of Portsmouth and four forces, to develop a mature understanding of diversity, embracing surface-level characteristics and expanding our understanding of hidden-level diversity. This will provide an evidence-base to define and remove unknown barriers, innovative approaches to attraction, recruitment and retention and greater representation/inclusion.

AI Assistants in Policing: Helping victims get justice, faster, by making case processing more efficient.

We propose a research project that explores how AI assistants, powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), can be used to introduce efficiencies and reduce mistakes in police interviews and report writing. We aim to demonstrate the capacity of this technology to reduce labour-intensive work, enhance efficiency, and improve quality, to build proof-of-concept technology demonstrations, and show how LLMs can be deployed into the police forces while adhering to the Covenant for the use of AI in Policing.

Revolutionising digital forensics child sexual exploitation workflows through linguistics/AI technology

CSE investigations are increasing, with the NCA predicting a 20% growth in online CSE referrals by the end of 2023/24.                                                                                                                      DRAGON-S will speed up the identification of grooming behaviour and reduce processing workload. This will revolutionise digital forensic workflows for CSE investigations using AI technology.

When all is Tread and Done: is there evidential value?

This project will investigate the potential evidential value of footwear uppers caught on camera (e.g. CCTV) as a form of identification. It will investigate factors that influence the interpretation of class and individual characteristics (e.g. brand and damage, respectively) that could influence the evidential outcome of a comparison.

Assessing the organic destruction of criminally produced vegetation seized by the police.

This project is exploring the disposal of cannabis plants seized from illegal drug production in a more sustainable and cost-effective way. This is innovative and untested in the UK, however, US researchers have shown that composting cannabis can destroy Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to legal levels and produce a safe usable compost.

Online covert persona lifecycle and account management

This innovative project will establish evidence-based principles for a solution that supports policing in creating, organising, managing accounts for Internet Investigation and Intelligence purposes. Resulting in opportunities to shape and disseminate national policy, guidance, training and create a framework to inform the future development of technical solutions.